Over the past week, Arsenal fans have been left mulling over reports of interest in Torino’s Andrea Belotti. Unfortunately, it seems to be the same old story.
After Torino’s president told reporters the club had rejected a £56m bid for the 23-year-old striker, Arsenal moved quickly to deny that was the case – although it begs the question, why would anything be said initially?
It’s a frustrating avenue for Arsenal fans to find themselves on, as the Gunners have consistently been linked with big moves in sagas that seem to drag on and on, only to end with nothing.
Whether Arsenal’s interest is genuine remains to be seen but if the Gunners do have their eyes on Belotti, Arsene Wenger needs to stop mulling over a bid and make a deal happen.
£56m is of course an astronomical figure but the details of that offer are not explained- it could be a fee of around £30m, with the remaining £16m broken down into payments made in the future and potential clauses (let Football Manager players explain).
The fact of the matter is, Arsenal have the money to take a risk in the transfer market and playing it safe hasn’t really gotten the club anywhere during recent years. If you think back to when Arsenal last signed a top-class striker, you’d be going back around two decades.
Belotti isn’t a household name for many yet but he certainly will be in a few years and his future lies away from Torino. A record of 25 goals in league games is phenomenal and whilst you may turn your nose up at the Serie A’s competitiveness, it’s worth pointing out Torino are battling with the likes of Juventus, Napoli, Roma and both Milan sides.
On top of that, Belotti has found the net three times in just five games for the Italian national side and looks to be the go-to man for Italy in the attack in the years ahead- bolstering the nation in an area that’s been their weakest in recent years.
Simply put, if Arsenal aren’t taking a look at Andrea Belotti then they should be- and then they should follow it up with an offer.
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